Cigarette package



Oct. 27, 1959 B. B. WILLIAMS CIGARETTE PACKAGE Filed April 24, 1956 Fig.2

Barney B. win/abs INVEN TOR.

United States Patent CIGARETTE PACKAGE Barney B. Williams, Albany, Ga. Application April 24, 1956, Serial No. 580,265

2 Claims. Cl. 206-41) This invention relates in general to new and useful improvements in containers, and more specifically to an improved cigarette package.

When a cigarette package is being shipped, due to the fact that it is filled with cigarettes it is relatively rigid. Further, if desired, it may be reinforced by suitable plates placed in the upper and lower ends thereof. However, once the package has been opened, the package loses its rigidity with the result that the cigarettes remaining therein are easily bent or otherwise rendered undesirable.

It is therefore the primary object of this invention to provide an improved cigarette package which is so constructed whereby the ends of the cigarette package may be retained in a reinforced state at all times irrespective of the number of cigarettes remaining therein.

Another object of this invention is to provide an improved cigarette package which has an upper reinforcing member, the reinforcing member being flexible and being movable out of alignment with an open upper end portion of the cigarette package whereby individual cigarettes may be conveniently removed therefrom without disturbing the rigidity of the cigarette package.

Still another object of this invention is to provide an improved cigarette package wherein a corner thereof is pre-slit in order that the cigarette package may be readily opened.

A further object of this invention is to provide an improved cigarette package having reinforcing in the upper end thereof, the reinforcing including an upper flexible reinforcing member which reinforces the package during use and permits the removal of individual cigarettes, and a second reinforcing member underlying the upper reinforcing member and rigidifying the package during shipment, the second reinforcing member being removable when the package is opened.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of the cigarette package which is the subject of this invention and shows the general details thereof prior to opening;

Figure 2. is a vertical sectional view taken substantially upon the plane indicated by the section line 2-2 of Figure 1 and shows the general details of construction of the cigarette package;

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary perspective view of the cigarette package of Figure 1 with a corner thereof in an initial opening position; and

Figure 4 is an exploded perspective view of the reinforcing members of the cigarette package with the enclosure of the cigarette package being omitted.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, it will be seen that there is illustrated a cigarette package, which is the subject of this invention, the cigarette package being referred to in general by the reference numeral 10. The

2,910,175 Patented Oct. 27, 1959 cigarette package 10 includes an inner enclosure 12 which is formed of paper which is preferably provided with a foil coating in the inner surface thereof. The enclosure 12 serves to seal cigarettes 14 disposed therein to retain their freshness. Surrounding a major portion of the enclosure 12 is an outer enclosure 16'which is preferably formed of cellophane. Overlying the upper portion of the enclosure 16' is the usual tax stamp 18. It is to be understood that the enclosures 12 and 16 are relatively flexible, but firmly support the cigarettes 14 when the closures 12 and 16 are filled. T

In order to facilitate the opening of the enclosures 12 and 16, an upper portion of one corner of the enclosure 12 has the material thereof separated by a vertical slit 18 extending along the corner. Also, the material of the enclosure 16 is omitted as at 20 to permit access to the slit 18 and upper flaps 22 of the enclosure 12.

Reinforcing the enclosure 12 is an upper, relatively stiff reinforcing member 24 which is preferably formed of a suitable plastic. Immediately underlying the reinforcing member 24 is a stiff reinforcing member 26 which may be formed of cardboard or the like. The reinforcing member 26 has a corner thereof omitted as at 28. The bottom of the enclosure 12 is reinforced by a reinforcing member 30 which may be identical with the rein forcing member 24.

During shipment of the cigarettes 14 in the cigarette package 10 the upper and lower endsof the enclosure 12 are reinforced by the reinforcing members 24 and 30 and the reinforcing member 26. When it is desired to open the cigarette package 10, the closure 12 is opened at the upper corner thereof by separating the material starting at the slit 18 so that the material forming the enclosure 12 will appear as illustrated in Figure 3. In order to facilitate the opening of the enclosure 12, the omitted corner 28 of the reinforcing member 26 is aligned with the corner in which the slit 18 is formed. When opened as is illustrated in Figure 3, an endmost cigarette 14 may be removed from the cigarette package 10 by merely bending a corner of the upper reinforcing member 24 upwardly to the position illustrated. Additional cigarettes 14 may then be removed in the same manner.

Inasmuch as the cigarette package 10 has retained therein at all times the reinforcing members 24 and 30, it will be seen that the enclosures 12 and 16, while highly flexible, will not be crushed in the normal carrying of the cigarette package 10 and therefore the cigarettes 14 may be properly preserved. The reinforcing members 24 and 30 may be glued in place in the enclosure 12 with that portion of the reinforcing member 24 adjacent the corner 28 being free to permit flexing thereof to an open position. By fixing the reinforcing members 24and 30, after the reinforcing member 26 has been removed, the cigarettes 14 are loose to freely move to the corner 28 for dispensing by flexing the reinforcing member 24. Further, the reinforcing member 24 prevents the accidental loss of cigarettes from the normal opened end of the cigarette package 10. If desired, however, the reinforcing member 26 may be omitted.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

1. A cigarette package comprising a flexible enclosure, a permanent upper reinforcing member in an upper end of said enclosure, a second stiif removable reinforcing member underlying said upper reinforcing member and reinforcing said enclosure during shipment, said upper reinforcing member extending across the full width and length of said enclosure and, being flexible whereby said upper reinforcing member may {be flexed to facilitate removal of cigarettes, from said enclosure, 2. corner of said second reinforcing member being omitted to facilitate opening of said enclosure and removal of said second reinforcing member.

2. A cigarette package comprising a flexible enclosure, an upper reinforcing member in an upper end of said enclosure, a second stiff removable reinforcing member underlying said upper reinforcing member and reinforcing said enclosure during shipment, said upper reinforcing member extending the full width and length of said enclosure and being flexible whereby said upper reinforcing member may be flexed to facilitate removal of cigarettes from said enclosure, a corner of said second reinforcing member being omitted to facilitate opening of said enclosure and removal of said second reinforcing member,

said enclosure including a vertically extending corner, the material forming said enclosure being separated at the upper portion of said enclosure corner to facilitate opening of said enclosure, said corners being aligned.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Great Britain Oct. 31, 1940 

